Record edging lathe



Sept. 7, 1948. F. e. VOLKEL I RECORD EDGING LATHE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 10, 1946 INVENTOR.

:FRANK G. VOLKEL r W l ATTORNEY Sept. 7, 1948. F. s. VOLKEL RECORD EDGING LATHE I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 10, ,1946

mm hm mm INVENTOR. FRANK s. VOLKEL ATTORNEY Sept. 7, 1948. F. G. VOLKEL RECORD EDGING LATHE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. '10 1946 Q NT INVENTOR. FRANK G. VOLKEL ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 7, 1948 2,448,751 RECORD EDGXNG LATHE Frank G. Volkel, Los Angeles, Calif, assignor to Volkel Bros.

Machine Works, Los Angeles,

Calif., a-corporation of California Application August 10, 1946, Serial No. 689,675

6 Claims. (01. 51-237) My invention relates generally to lathes and more particularly to lathes-for holdin flat discshaped objects, and has as a principal object to provide a tool suitable for holding and rotating a phonograph record while such a record is being shaped to circular form.

In the process of manufacturing phonograph records, the dis-cs are molded in presses from which they emerge with a thin peripheral lip or flange which must then be removed. The fragility of the discs requires that they be held both firmly and gently during the grinding operation necessary to remove the lip, and that the force with which they are clamped shall be applied softly. As the operation is a short one, it is desirable to have a lathe which will engage and disengage the discs rapidly and yet not subject them to positive forces applied in haste by the operator.

It is, therefore, a further object of my invention to provide a record edging lathe in which a record may be clamped by a gentle force, pneumatically, and therefore impositively, applied.

It is another object of my invention to provide a lathe which will automatically begin the rotation of a phonograph record as soon as sufficient pressure has been applied to the record to clamp it firmly, and which will desist from suchrotation as soon as such pressure has been released.

Still another object 'of my invention is to provide an enclosure within which a record may be safely ground which shall be closable and openable by the means actuating the clamping of the record and the rotation thereof simultaneously with the beginning and end of such rotation,

thereby effecting further time-saving in the setting up of the operation. 1

I accomplishthe foregoing objects and others which will appear hereinafter in a manner fully set forth in the following description of a preferred embodiment of my invention and illus-- trated in the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a record edging lathe according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the lathe in open, or non-operative, position;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on theline 3--3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the lathe in closed, or operative, position,

Havin reference now to the details of the drawings, II is a base suitable for mounting on a bench, on which are secured a clutch housing l2 and a diaphragm housing l3. Extending from the clutch housing I2 is a shaft housing I4 in 2 which a shaft I5 is rotatable in bearings IS. A hollow shaft IT is secured to the clutch housing 12 and extends thereinto to encompass one end of the shaft i 5 and supports, rotatably on a bearing l8, a drive pulley l9 concentric with the shaft i5. Secured to the shaft [5 is a two-faced clutch member 2|, having one clutch face 22 adapted to engage a coacting clutch plate 23 on the drive pulley E9 to impart rotary movement to the shaft, and a second brake face 24 engageable with the clutch housing 12 to provide a brake for such movement. A thrust bearing 25 engages the end of the shaft I5 and is held by a spring 26 and plug 2'5 so as to permit the shaft to reciprocate to bring the clutch member 2| to bear either against the clutch plate 23 or the clutch housing 2, with the spring 26 urging the shaft in the latter direction. Grease guards 28, which may be of conventional cap and retaining spring design, are provided to retain grease in the bearings 26 and I8 and to exclude dust therefrom.

The diaphragm housing 13 clamps the edges of a diaphragm 3| secured by plates 32 to a reciprocating shaft assembly 33. Air to move the diaphragm 3i and shaft assembly 33 is admitted to the diaphragm housing l3 through an air conduit 34 provided with suitable operating valves, not shown. The shaft assembly 33 is urged by a spring 35 to react against the movement imparted thereto by the diaphragm 3|, and is held against rotary movement by a set screw 36 sliding in a keyway 31. A cup and spring packing 38 similar to grease uards 28 seals the diaphragm housing I 3 to the shaft assembly 33.

The shaft l5 has secured thereto a disc 4| with a facin 42 of hard felt or similar resilient material, and has an arbor 43 extending through the facing 42 and adapted to engage the center hole of a phonograph record 44. A disc 45 having a similar resilient facing 46 is rotatably mounted on the shaft assembly 33 by a bearing 41. The bearing 4! is retained on the shaft assembly 33 by a bolt 48 and washer 49, and the disc 45 is pressed on the outer race of the bearing and re tained thereon by a snap ring 5|. A grease guard 52 is provided to protect the bearing 41. The disc 45 and facing 46 have an orifice 53 to receive the end of the arbor 43. i

To enclose the record 44 and to protect the operator from particles flying therefrom while the record is being edged, I provide a bisected enclosure 54 formed by two coacting dust guards 55 and 56, of which the former is secured to the shaft housing l4 so as to be immovable and the latter is secured to the shaft assembly 33 so as to be reciprocable therewith. Peripheral rings 51 of soft rubber or like material are provided on each of the dust guards 55 and 56 to form a yielding closure therebetween when the dust guards are brought together. Each of the dust guards 55 and 55 and their respective peripheral rings 51 are cut away as illustrated at 58 in Figs. 1 and 3, to form an. orifice 59 providing access. to the record 44 through the enclosure '54. To exhaust dust and chips from the enclosure 54, the immovable dust guard 55 has a conduit 60 connected thereto and leading to a suction pump (not shown) the air for transporting the dust entering through the orifice 59.

To operate the lathe from. the starting; posi-. tion illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the operator. places; a record 44 upon the arbor 43 and operatesthe controls on the conduit 34 to admit air to the diaphragm housing 13. The diaphragm. 31. will then move the shaft assembly 33 against the compressionof the spring 35 to bringthe facing 45'. of, the disc, .5 into contact with. the record: 4. .1,. clamping. the, record, 44. between the confronting facingsAZand. 4t, and bringing the. pe-. ripheral. ring: 5?. of. the dust guard 56. into yield.- 111g contact, with the coasting ring: of the. dust guard155 to.-form=the enclosure 54;. Further move.-.. mentofithe shaft assembly. 3.3. presses. the shaft. l5; and. thrust. bearing 25. against the, compres.- sion of. the spring '2,6..causing thev brake face-'24- ofthe clutchmember 2|. to break away from) the. clutchhousing l2, and. the. clutch face teen.- a e. the. clutch plate- 2 3 of the drive pulley. it. As the drive. pulley i9. is freely. rotating on the hearing I;8., contact of the clutch. face 22v and; 23 will; cause rotation. of the shaft la with. conse.-. quent rotationv of} the record &4. and the discs 4i and. 45.. clamped thereto. the disc 45, being freeto rotateuponthe bearing 4.1. The operator may, then; insert.- a suitable tool through the orifice 59. to grind theedg-eof. the record.44., Dust a-nd'chips from, the grinding. will b e-exhausted. through. the conduitfill;

When. the grinding operationis completed, the operator changes the controls onnthe air, conduit 34.- to release thea-ir in the diaphragm housing l2-, braking the-rotationof the shaft and of the record: 44; As. the return: action ofthe spring. 26;.occurs atthe earliest possible moment androquires lesslongitudinal movement. than that required. to move the endof the arbor-43 from. the orifice. 5,3,4 the. notation of. the record 44 will; becheokedwithout danger of. the record 44f flying from-the: arbor 431 In fact, due to the facings 42za-nd 46 being under compression and requiring material movement of theshaft assemblyiii v and as this mouement is lessened in: effect by the followsuparnovement of the shaft l:5g the braking efilect off the brake; face 24 is transmitted through the record to the disc 45 and the rotation of' the disc 45'. is; braked befiore the clamping on the recordg44-is released.

Nuinerous modifications may bemade-in the application of theprinciples. of the present invention, and the;- scope of the appended claims: is; not: to be. considered as limited; to. the hereindelineated form. of apparatus.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a lathe, a shaft mounted to be rotatable and longitudinally movable; a drive pulley concentric with said shaft and rotatable independently thereof; a first clutch face on said pulley; a second clutch face on said shaft engageable with said first clutch face by longitudinal movement of said shaft in one direction to effect. rotation of said shaft; brake means on said=- shaft actuatable by movement of said shaft in the opposite direction; a spring urging said shaft in said opposite direction whereby said brake means are normally activated; a first disc having a face of malterialsecured to said shaft and rotatable therewith; a. support aligned with said shaft and mounted to be movable in said one direction and said opposite direction; a second disc rotatably mounted on said support and having a face of material adapted when moved into adjacency with said first disc to clamp a phonograph record therebetween; a; pin extending fromloneot said discs,

said=pin being of, such length: as: to passthrough, saidi. record a; second spring urging said. support.

in said: opposite direction; and meansfor moving; said; support. in? said one directiontor bring.

said discs to adjacency and them to, move! said. shaft in said one directionl, whereby. said brake means areinactivatedand said first and-said-secondclutchifaces areengagedz 2;. In a lathe. a. pair of discsmountednin confronting-relation and adapted to form clamping; jaws; a. piston: supporting one of said discs,,said= one disc being rotatably mounted thereon; a:

housing; a shaft rotatablymountedz in-saidhousing;- and" support-ingrtheother. ofsaid. discs; clutchmeansfor efiectingrotation of saidshaft; means act-ingout said pistonfor; moving said one disc into clamping engagement with said other disc; a pair of dust guards forming a bisected; enclo.- sure fen said: discs; 0116! of; said; guards being secured to; said housing. and: the other of said guards being secured to said piston, wherebysaid enclosure is closa-ble and openable by, the movement. of said. piston, said enclosurehaving an; orifice providing; access to. said discs; and. a.

conduitconnected to said first. defined; uard forexhausting-said! enclosure.

3: In; a latha. axially aligned; supporting members. one of which is; reciprocable onlyand: the. other of which; is rotatable and reciprocablc;

clamping members: mounted in confronting relationship on;said;supportin rmembers andadapted torgrasp: avwork piece when: moved;v thereby to;

adjacency; that clamping member mounted; on

* said. first defined supporting member being roben; and: a bisected? enclosure for' said: clamping members; having one part securedv totsaid first defined supporting memberand reciprocable therewith. toeffect. closing and opening of said enclosure.

41 Im a lathe of: the. character described, the combination) ofC a first disc and: a'second disc in; confronting; relation and.- adapted to. form clamping means to engage opposite sides of: arecord;. a housingsa shaft rotatably mounted in said housing; and supporting saidfirst, disc; a support: supporting. said secondrdisc for rotation on the. axis" of said shaft; clutch means for offectingrot'ationof said: shaft; means acting on said support for moving said second disc into clamping relation to said first disc anda pair ofguards forming a bisected enclosure for said discs, one of said guards being secured to said housing and the other of said guards being secured to said support, whereby said enclosure is closable and openable by movement of said support, said enclosure having an opening providing access to said discs.

5. In a lathe of the character described, the combination of: a first disc and a second disc in confronting relation and adapted to form clamping means to engage opposite sides of a record; a housing; a shaft rotatably mounted in said housing and supporting said first disc; a support supporting said second disc for rotation on the axis of said shaft; clutch means for effecting rotation of said shaft; means acting on said support for moving said second disc into clamping relation to said first disc; a pair of guards forming a bisected enclosure for said discs, one of said guards being secured to said housing and the other of said guards being secured to said support, whereby said enclosure is closable and openable providing access to said discs; and a conduit connected to the interior space of said enclosure through which an exhaust effect may 3 be turned; means for supporting said engaging means for rotation; drive means for rotating at least one of said engaging means; and a pair of guards forming a closure for an article held by said engaging means, respectively secured to said supporting means and being relatively movable toward each other and apart so as to close and open said enclosure, at least one of said guards having an annular wall of yieldable material to engage the other of the guards when said guards are relatively moved toward each other so as to close the enclosure.

FRANK G. VOLKEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 749,766 Wilkeson Jan. 19, 1904 790,705 Schrader May 23, 1905 1,029,642 Slick June 18, 1912 1,118,072 Thompson Nov. 24, 1914 1,535,452 C'onradson Apr. 28, 1925 1,885,848 March Nov. 1, 1932 1,912,956 Weisbrod June 6, 1933 2,382,896 Medcofi s Aug. 14, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 0 Number Country Date 141,772 Germany June 12. 1903 

